One fine day
by Sandy1983
Summary: AU fic, where Damon is a doctor and Elena is a sick patient. After learning that she is dying, he wants to give her one fine day. Rated M for later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

One fine day

**Introduction**

**First of all, yes I will finish Letters from the past. The next update will be coming soon. It's just that this one has been sitting on my computer for a while. I thought long and hard about what to do with it. I wrote it as a coping mechanism..a way to help me deal with the fact that I lost my mom 5 months ago, after a long battle with cancer. So it might be a little dark sometimes. I am very nervous about putting it out there; it is very emotional for me. But here it is. All I ask is that you be honest with me about it. Thank you so much if you want to read it. If people like it, I will post more. Just let me know in a review. **

"That's it. I'm done!" doctor Salvatore said excitedly. He took off his doctor's coat. It felt good to be Damon again, instead of Doctor Salvatore. He had a three week break coming up. Something he had been saving long and hard for. He had just finished with his last patient. He was out of here!

"Any interesting plans, doc?"nurse Andie asked. She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. Damon frowned. When was she going to learn that he wasn't going to go to bed with her again? He didn't do relationships. He didn't have the time. Maybe he should learn to stay away from the nurses here. They were getting clingy! A nice romp in the sack didn't automatically mean that he would buy them flowers the next day. It didn't mean that they could stay for the next night.

He and Andie had had a nice night a couple of weeks ago. They had dinner, they danced and then they had sex. He had thought that Andie understood that that was all he ever did. He didn't do follow ups.

Being Doctor Salvatore was all he had time for. He practically lived at the hospital. Maybe that's why he was running out of nurses to bed. Nurses were all the women he saw these days. Save for his patients. But that definitely wasn't an option! Well, maybe with his vacation coming up, he could look for a woman that never even went to the hospital. Yep, that sounded like a plan!

"No interesting plans yet, Andie. I'm just going to relax for a bit," he answered Andie's question. Andie smiled. "Maybe we could get together in a couple of days. I'm free on Friday night. You up for it?" she tried.

Damon sighed. Nope, she definitely didn't get it! "I'm sorry, Andie. But I think, with the night we had a couple of weeks ago, that that's all there ever is going to be between us," he explained. Andie's face fell.

"If you change your mind..,"she trailed off hopefully. Damon smiled. "I'll let you know." He practically rushed out of there. That woman didn't know when to stop! Thank god for his vacation.

He rounded the cafeteria on his way to the exit. And that's where he saw her.

She was sitting by her lonesome at a table, staring at the ground. Something about her reeled him in. He didn't know what it was. But he couldn't keep his eyes off of her.

She looked so lonely. Lost and sad.

_Walk away, Damon! She obviously goes to the hospital all the time. She probably has some sick aunt here that she visits daily. It will be her opening to pop up at work, after you're done with her. She'll sink her claws into you and never let go. _

Damon nodded solemnly to himself. With resolve he walked over towards the exit. But just before he made it through the sliding doors, he stopped. Something made him turn around again. He felt a pull towards her that he could not explain.

She looked so crestfallen that it made his heart clench together. She looked as if all hope was lost. She was giving up.

_Don't do it, Damon! Go to your car, drive away and enjoy your vacation. The last thing you need is to have to care for another person, living in a hospital. _

But his feet didn't move. He couldn't walk away from her.

Finally, he walked back into the hospital. He ordered two coffees and sauntered over her way. He placed a steaming cup in front of her. Then he sat down.

She seemed to stare at the cup, confused. After what seemed like ages, she looked up at him with her beautiful doe brown eyes. Her beauty caught him off guard. When her eyes locked with his, his breath caught in his throat.

How could someone so beautiful be so sad?

She bit her bottom lip and looked at him questionably. Damon shrugged. "You looked like you might need it," he explained his delivery.

She nodded and looked back down, not touching the cup. Damon frowned. What could have possibly hurt her so much? She looked like a little bird with broken wings.

And most importantly, why did he feel the need the fix her? Why not walk away? But he simply couldn't. Not before she told him what was wrong.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he tried.

Her head shot up at his question, her eyebrows raised. So, Damon immediately tried to slow it down a bit. "I mean, I know you don't know me. I'm a doctor. I work at this hospital." He showed her his ID. She only glanced at it, clearly not impressed with the fact that he was a neurosurgeon.

"I've seen all worst case scenarios. So it might help if you wanted to talk about it. Also, sometimes it helps, talking to strangers," he explained. She looked back down at her shoes. He had lost her again.

"Well, at least let me call someone for you. You look like you need a shoulder to cry on and you're alone in a hospital. You need someone right now," he said persistently.

Her bottom lip started to tremble and her eyes watered up.

"I don't have anyone," she whispered brokenly.

She spoke so softly, he needed to lean forward to understand what she was saying. But her words tugged at his heartstrings. She didn't have anyone? How could someone so endearing not have anyone?

"There must be someone," he tried. "What about your parents?"

This only made her eyes water even more.

"My parents are deceased," she choked.

Damon was fighting himself, not to grab onto her hand. Is that what happened here? Did she just lose her parents?

"I'm so sorry. Did they just..?"he didn't finish his sentence. She knew what he meant and shook her head. "My parents died years ago."

Okay, so that wasn't why she was in the hospital. He had to restrain himself from prying. She was obviously upset. The last thing she needed was someone looking for a good gossip. She just needed someone to listen to what she wanted to tell them. If she wanted to tell at all.

So, he went with a new approach.

"I'm sorry. We got off to a strange start here. I'm Damon. Damon Salvatore."

He waited for her to answer. Would she tell him her name? For some reason he was desperate to know it. The seconds seemed to tick by. It almost felt like centuries, until she finally opened her pretty mouth.

"I'm Elena."

Damon released a breath, he didn't even know he had been holding. Elena.. Such a pretty name. It definitely suited her.

"It is very nice to meet you, Elena," he smiled. "Now, why don't you take a few sips of that coffee? Try to make it help you relax. Take a deep breath. And then maybe you want to tell me what happened that has you so broken."

Elena pondered this for a second. She smiled weakly at him. And then she took the cup with trembling fingers and lifted it to her mouth.

She looked so fragile. He felt the strange need to protect her. He was desperate to know what caused her so much pain.

After a few sips, she set the cup down and sighed.

"I could use some fresh air. I've been inside this hospital long enough," she told him. Damon nodded.

"We have a nice courtyard back here. You should go there," he said. He was a little careful with what he said next. "Do you want me to come with you?"

Elena looked at him for a second. It seemed like she was trying to figure him out. As if she wanted to know if he was for real. He just hoped that she saw he was.

Finally, she nodded. "Okay," she said in a meek voice.

Surprised by her answer, Damon stood up and followed her.

The courtyard wasn't crowded. Only a few people were milling about. It had some benches to sit down on, a couple of planted trees, some shrubs, and a few flowers. It wasn't fancy, but for patients it meant everything.

Elena walked around for a few moments. She didn't say anything. And Damon didn't press. He just walked beside her, letting her take her time.

She breathed deeply, inhaling the fresh air as if it was the most beautiful thing in the world just to breathe.

And then she dropped her bombshell.

"I have cancer."

She didn't even look up at him, when she said it. She just laid it out there, out in the open. And kept on walking, not really caring if he followed. But he did.

When he heard the words, a whoosh of breath left him. His heart clenched together and his chest felt very constricted and painful.

_Walk away, Damon! You can't do this! You won't survive if you do!_

Yes, he wanted to run at her words. But he couldn't. He simply couldn't leave her like this.

"What eh.. What are the plans for treatment?" he asked her in a hoarse voice.

Elena kicked a rock that lay at her feet.

"There is no treatment."

Damon's head whipped to the side and he turned to look at her. Did she mean..? No, she couldn't!

Elena stopped walking and looked up at him.

"I have breast cancer, in an advanced stage. There is no stopping it. I was told just hours ago. The doctor did offer me a chemo treatment. He said it might prolong the inevitable. I could live for another 10 years. But I turned him down. I don't want to go bald and sick in my last days here. I want to live life to the fullest. And not be bedridden. So, basically he told me to hurry if there was something I still wanted to do."

Damon was stumped. For once in his life he didn't know what to say to a woman. Here was this beautiful girl that pulled him in like no one else ever had, and she was dying. Just like… No, he could not even think about that!

It was the reason he became a doctor. To heal. But to hear that he could not heal or help was always the worst. It tore at him.

Elena sat down on one of the benches and slowly let the tears fall. Like it was just starting to sink in. Damon sat down next to her and remained quiet. For now, he would let his presence be enough.

They sat that way for a long time. It became eerily quiet around them. The only sound coming from the birds up in the trees, whistling down at them.

Damon handed her a tissue, which she gratefully accepted. She smiled through her tears. "Thank you. For listening. I know we don't know each other, so you don't have to stay here if you don't want to," she said, giving him an out.

But he wasn't sure if he wanted out. Yes, his mind was screaming at him to run for the hills. But another part of him was keeping him here. He wanted to get to know her, whatever time she had left. He wanted to live that life to the fullest with her.

He cleared his throat and looked deeply into her eyes. "What do you want to do?" he asked. Elena frowned at him, clearly not understanding what he was getting at.

"You said that you wanted to live life to the fullest. That you still wanted to do things. You must have a list. What do you want to do?" he clarified. Elena thought about this for a second. She looked at him with watering eyes.

"I'm not sure if I'll have the time," she whispered.

Damon was having none of that.

"You just found out that you're dying. Drop everything you usually do and go after what you want. What do you want to do?" he asked again.

Elena looked at the ground, breathing deeply. Her beautiful brown hair fell over her face. She had been right. There was no way she could lose that gorgeous hair of hers. After a few seconds, Elena looked up at him with a resolved face.

"I want to finish my list today," she finally said.

Damon nodded. "Then let's go and do that."

**So here is the first draft. Let me know if you want me to finish. I'll write a beautiful day for Damon and Elena, with romance and all :)**

**Again, thank you for reading. **

**Follow me for info about the story: /#!/Sandy1983b**


	2. Chapter 2

Fly me to the moon

**Yeah, I know. Still no Letters from the past.. I promise to update that story this Friday. But with Christmas coming up, and experiencing my own personal loss a couple of months ago, I just needed to get this off my chest first. Hope you like. Oh, and this one is in Elena's point of view.**

Elena stared at the man in front of her. A man she just met moments ago. And yet he was already embarking on the most important journey of her life. Damon Salvatore was a tough one to figure out. But he was saying all the right things to her. He knew how to comfort her. She had told him the ugly truth about herself, and he didn't walk away. It was admirable, to say the least.

If he wanted to fool her, if he wanted to play her, he would have already walked away after the word 'cancer'. No man wanted to stick around after that, right? But it still nagged at her that he was so willing to do this.

He had made her write down a list of things she wanted to do before the day was over. She had five items. And they were really tough to follow. But Damon said he would make sure that she got to experience all of them. She wished him all the luck in the world with that. Some things on this list were pretty unattainable. Especially if they wanted to get it all done in one day.

"So, what do you have?" Damon wanted to know. Elena bit down on her lip and looked down at her list. She shook her head. "I don't think were going to be able to do this."

Damon frowned at her. He walked over to her, knelt down to were she was sitting and took hold of her hands.

"Dear Elena, I don't want to hear the word 'no' today. Today, anything is possible. Today, all I want to hear out of your mouth is 'Yes, I can' and 'Yes, I will'. Now show me the first item on that list of yours," he pressed.

Elena still didn't get him. Why did he want to do this? Wasn't this his vacation?

"What's in it for you?" she blurted out.

Damon's head shot up. "What do you mean?"

Elena squinted her eyes at him. "I mean, here is this sick girl that is dying. You don't know her. It's your vacation time. And somehow you want to spend the first day of said vacation with the dying girl. It's not what anyone would normally do. Do you think I'm rich? Are you after my money? Because let me tell you, I don't have a penny on me. And even if I did, you're not going to talk your way into my will. So you can just forget about it!"

Damon looked stumped for a second. But then he burst out laughing. Which made Elena really angry. Was he laughing at her!

"You've got spunk. I like it! And no, I'm not after your money. I want to help you."

Elena still didn't believe him. "If you're looking for a jump in the sack, you're not getting that either," she warned him.

Damon started laughing again. "You're hilarious! Elena, even though you are a very beautiful girl, I would never take advantage of you like that. If I was looking to get laid, I would have gone to a bar, instead of the hospital cafeteria," he joked.

Elena blushed at his compliment. He thought she was beautiful? With her condition, she sure didn't feel beautiful! She felt pale, hollow and bland. She sometimes felt as if her body didn't belong to herself any more. Her sickness was going to take over now. It was going to tear her beauty down. He wouldn't still think she was beautiful then.

A lump started developing in her throat, but she quickly swallowed it down. No time for crying now. Today was supposed to be a good day. She was going to follow her dreams..

"So, I ask again. What is your first item on the list?" Damon continued.

Elena smiled.

"I want to fly," she sighed dreamily.

Damon looked utterly confused. "And just what do you mean by that? You want to go skydiving?" he asked.

This time it was Elena's turn to laugh out loud. Skydiving? No way!

"Why is it that everybody always thinks that a dying person's wish is to be a daredevil all of a sudden? Skydiving is so cheesy, Damon. Really! Not every dying person wants to jump out of a plane!" she laughed.

Damon shrugged. "It was the first thought that crossed MY mind. Sorry! So how do you want to fly then?"

Elena looked at him as if he had grown an extra head. "Eh, by plane, Damon! You know, those big metal tubes up in the air. They have actually been around for quite some time!" she made fun of him.

Damon's eyes widened. "You mean to tell me that you've never been on a plane before? For god sake, girl. You live in America!" he blurted.

Elena looked down regretfully.

"I lost my parents when I was really young, Damon. I never went on vacation. I grew up in foster homes. I never even left the state," she confessed.

Damon's face fell. And Elena felt a little sorry for putting it out there so bluntly. He looked positively crestfallen.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that. I was trying to joke around," he apologized. Elena smiled at him. "It's okay. But yes, I want to go flying. Can we do that?" she asked.

Damon winked at her. "Of course! If all of your wishes are that easy, we're going to be done before dinner."

Elena looked down at her list again. O, not all her wishes were that easy. She was positive that one of them would never happen…

Damon jumped up and immediately started dialling. But he paused halfway through.

"Eh, where exactly do you want to fly to? We need a destination here."

Elena already knew the answer to that. She just had to look at the second item on her list. She stood up and walked over towards Damon, showing him that item. His eyes looked over it for a second, before arching his eyebrows at her. "You never..?"he stopped halfway in his sentence, realizing she had already explained why she never did.

He turned his head, talking into his phone. "Yes, I need two plane tickets. Destination? Florida…."

"My god, Elena! Would you stop fidgeting?"

Elena looked his way, wracked with nerves. "You are forgetting that I've never done this before, Damon! You probably fly all the time. For me, it's a thing that can fall from the sky!" she snapped.

They were sitting in a Boeing 747, side by side. They hadn't taken off yet, but Elena already felt like bolting. She was gripping her armrests as if they were lifesavers.

"You know, the crew is not going to be happy with you if you rip that chair to bits," he said casually. Elena shot daggers at him. Was he ridiculing her?

"One more word, Damon! Just one more word and you're going skydiving. WITHOUT a parachute, I might add!" she hissed.

Damon held up his hands in surrender.

The plane started to move, causing Elena to grip the chair even tighter. Why did she want to do this, again?

She stared intently at the stewardess, showing her what to do in case of a life threatening situation. You never knew with these metal things!

"I thought you said that it was not a dying person's wish to be a daredevil? That other people were stupid to think that they all of a sudden would do things, they wouldn't normally do. Just saying. Your words," Damon grinned at her.

Elena practically bared her teeth at him. Stupid jerk! He was supposed to be distracting her! Why on earth was she bringing him along!

"You are playing with fire here, Mister Salvatore!"

The plane suddenly surged forward, gaining speed by the second. Where they supposed to go this fast? And why was this thing rocking like crazy? It shook and rattled, something which made Elena hunch in her seat.

Through the window, she saw that they were almost off the ground. O damn! She looked at Damon nervously, fear showing in her eyes.

"It's going to be okay," he soothed her. "Don't look at what's going on outside. Look at me."

Elena did as he told her. She stared intently into his eyes, searching for that bit of comfort that he offered.

The plane rocked for a second, due to an air pocket. Elena let out a whimper and grabbed onto Damon's hand, surprising him. She kept on staring at him, not wanting to see what was going on around her.

Damon whispered sweet nothings to her as the plane finally straightened and relaxed into the sky. All was quiet again.

Elena's heart thumped in her throat. Her entire body shook and her legs felt like jell-o. That had been some experience! She took a deep breath and looked at Damon.

He seemed to be staring intently at their intertwined hands. Elena looked down too. She hadn't meant to do it. She hadn't meant to grab onto his hand. It had been a reflex. But it somehow felt kind of nice. She quickly turned away, pretending not to realise she was holding his hand. But for some strange reason she didn't want to let go.

It felt so comforting, holding someone's hand. It wasn't something that had happened often in her life. As a little girl, she had moved from foster home to foster home. And not all of them had been nice. And it was always temporarily.

Tears came to her eyes as she realised she felt protected by Damon's hand. Protection had been something she had missed her entire life. And she needed it now more then ever. She was dying and she needed someone.

She realised that this was the reason she brought him along for this. Because she needed someone. Anyone. To help her get through this. She needed someone to hold her hand as she got scared. She needed someone to soothe her. She needed someone to hold her.

Tears flowed freely down her cheeks and her breath hitched. Damon caught on, unfastened his seat belt and turned her way. With his free hand he started stroking her hair. His other hand still latching on to hers.

"I understand this must be difficult for you. You just made the first thing on your list happen. It has got to be emotional for you. But I'll be there for you. I promise," he whispered.

Elena nodded, feeling strangely affected by him petting her hair. Every time he ran his fingers through it, goose bumps seemed to rise on her skin.

"Thank you," she said gratefully.

Damon smiled at her. She just now noticed how it caused dimples to appear. It was kind of cute. And had his eyes always been so blue?

Elena shook her head, willing those thoughts to go away. Now was not the time to develop absurd feelings for someone who felt nothing but sympathy for her! Besides, she was dying. He deserved better than that. He deserved someone who could continue to stay with him for another decade or so.

"I'm fine now," she said hoarsely. Okay, her voice sounded strangely squeaky.

Damon tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and tapped her nose with his finger.

"Are you ready for item number two?" he asker her.

Elena shook her head. "For now, just let me enjoy item number one."

Damon nodded and turned to look out the window.

They were still holding hands…

**Thank you for the kind reviews. Writing this helps me a lot, so I will continue to do so. This chapter was a little more upbeat. I just wanted to add some playfulness to the mix. The story can't be all about heart ache. But yeah, the gut wrenching is coming. **

**So, are you curious what item number two is up in Florida? Let me know what you think it is. Please review. Thank you!**

**Xxx Sandy1983.**

**Follow me for info about the story: /#!/Sandy1983b**


	3. Chapter 3

A day without worries…

**I really wanted to finish the next chapter of Letters from the past. But when I sat down for it, I couldn't do it. This story is constantly in my head nowadays and maybe I just need to finish it, before starting my other story again. So I took the advice of a really nice woman, who always leaves a review for me. She let me know that, if it helps me to write this, I should definitely do it. Regardless of how it is received. This is my comfort food :) So here is another chapter.**

"O, there is Mickey!" Elena yelled excitedly. Damon couldn't help but be amused by her enthusiasm. Here was this 22 year old girl, acting as giddy as a child.

The thing was, this was something she should have done when she was younger. She was making up for old times now. Her inner child was released. Damon smiled as he watched her parade around the main street of Disneyworld.

He had a hard time keeping up with her. She kept on running from one place to the next.

"Come on, Damon!" she laughed.

It was good, seeing her so happy. As if she had almost forgotten what she would have to face eventually. It almost made HIM forget that this beautiful girl..woman.. was withering away.

He swallowed with difficulty at the thought. Was he wrong for doing this? Could he survive taking care of a sick woman again? He had been in this position before. The entire reason why he had wanted to become a doctor.

He wasn't sure if he could do this again. But he also couldn't walk away. From the moment he had spotted her sitting in his hospital, despair on her face, she had reeled him in.

It was very new to him. He had never let a woman come close to him. And he knew it was because of the sickness that had taken away the only woman he had ever loved.

He dated women. He slept with women. And he dumped them as soon as they got too close. It was a perfect solution. His heart would never have to be broken again.

And now here was Elena. And he knew she was going to break his heart.

He was already feeling things for her that was beyond his control. She had crept her way in, where no-one had been able to. And he just met her a few hours ago.

How did that happen?

He watched her with amazement as pure joy was written on her face.

"Aren't you slow today! I said, come one! I want to go on big thunder mountain!" Elena screeched happily. She was practically jumping up and down with the anticipation and excitement.

She grabbed hold of his hand and started pulling him along the street. For her, it probably seemed like the most normal thing in the world. But for him, every time she grabbed his hand, his heart started doing funny things in his chest.

It had started on the airplane, when she had held his hand in fear. She never even noticed the contact. But he had been ready to jump out of his seat. His skin had felt as if it were on fire where she touched. But she never even acknowledged it. She probably didn't feel for him, what he felt for her.

And yet, she still held on to him when she didn't have to. Just like now. They were standing in line, waiting for a roller coaster ride, and she didn't let go. Damon looked down at their hands and felt warmth spreading through his body. _Get __a __grip, __Salvatore! __For __her, __it__'__s __probably __some __safety __net. __Pull __yourself __together!_

But he found himself enjoying the sensation of skin on skin contact. His heart fucking POUNDED at her nearness. He was worried she might hear it, it was thumping so loud.

When they came to the front of the line, she finally let go. They got into the ride and waited for the thing to move…..

"Would you get a load of that picture!" Elena laughed, as they were watching their hilarious photo moment from the big thunder mountain ride. "You look like you are crapping your pants!"

Damon scowled at her. "I was not!"

Elena had tears rolling down her cheeks in laughter. "You SO were! You look scared shitless!"

Damon stared at the photo. She was right. Where she looked beautiful and carefree, he looked like he was about to bolt from the thing.

It was embarrassing.

"Well, since you look perfect. Why don't you keep the picture? You can keep on laughing at my scrunched up face," he mumbled.

Elena shook her head, and handed the thing over to him. "You keep it. I want you to have something to remember me by."

As soon as she had said it, the atmosphere changed from playful to intense. Her smile fell from her face as she stared at him.

Damon swallowed as the thought of losing her slammed into him again.

It was then that he realised an important thing. He didn't need a picture to remember her by. He would ALWAYS remember her. For the rest of his life.

Elena suddenly placed her smile firmly back on her face, as if the moment never happened.

"I want ice cream!" she cried out giddily.

Damon rolled his eyes at her. "Okay then, you big child. Let's get you an ice cream." Elena let out a whoop and trailed behind him.

He ordered chocolate, she ordered vanilla. A perfect juxtaposition for them.

Damon's eyes darkened as he watched her tongue dart out to lick at the cold sustenance. He never knew there was an erotic way to eat ice cream. But she was doing it.

When she let out a small moan as she swallowed it, he had to grip the armrest of the bench they were sitting on. Desire slammed into him full force.

Was she doing this on purpose? She was killing him!

A bit of ice cream drizzled down her chin. She failed to notice it. Should he just mention it? Or should he remove it for her? He decided on the latter and leaned forward.

His finger trailed over the drop on her chin.

Something flashed in Elena's eyes, while he was doing it. But he wasn't sure. She looked at the bit of vanilla ice cream that now coated his finger.

"There was some ice cream on your chin," he explained huskily.

Elena nodded understandingly and watched with hooded eyes as Damon licked the drop off of his finger. Was she feeling it too? This pull between them?

Unfortunately he didn't get the chance to find out. She became playful again, and stole his ice cream from his hands. She jumped up and ran away.

"Hey!"he yelled after her.

"I suddenly felt the need for chocolate!" she yelled back, and ran with her prize. Damon chased her through the park, receiving some strange stares from people around them. O, they could stare all they wanted.

His beautiful Elena was having fun, and he wasn't about to rain on her parade.

"Catch me if you can!" she laughed at him.

After a few moments he saw her stop all of a sudden. He was a few feet away from her and he watched her keel over.

A cold feeling came over him and fear gripped him hard. No! Please god, no! He ran as fast as his legs could carry him, catching up with her while she was gripping the side of a bench hard. She was coughing like crazy.

He immediately held on to her, while she was gasping for breath.

He knew what this meant. He wasn't an idiot. She had told him that her cancer was in an advanced stage. He just never wanted to stop and think about how far advanced it was.

"Raise your arms above your head, Elena. Try to breathe," he told her. She looked at him with fear in her eyes. It almost broke his heart right then and there.

"Listen to me, Elena. This is not happening now. You need to finish your day. You hear me? I can't lose you right now. Not yet," he pleaded. He knew how this would sound to her. He was pouring his guts out.

If she calmed down from this, she would know how he felt. But he didn't care. If this was all the time they had left, he wanted her to know it. He would spend the rest of this day, and whatever time they had left after, loving her.

Elena sat down on the bench and took deep breaths. Eventually she came back down from her wheezing spell. She sagged against him, clutching his shirt in her hands.

They sat that way for a while, holding onto each other.

Damon contemplated everything that just went through his head. The fear of losing her. His feelings evident to him now. It wasn't just an infatuation. It wasn't lust. He was in love with her. After just a few hours spent in her presence, he was head over heels in love with this beautiful creature lying in his arms.

"I'm okay now," Elena whispered against his chest. Damon sighed gratefully, but didn't let go. He kissed the top of her head.

"You can let go now, Damon," she tried again. But Damon shook his head. "Not yet," he whispered.

Elena started playing with the buttons on his shirt. "Damon, we can't do this. You cannot fall in love with me. You know we'll never have the time for a normal relationship. It would be unfair of me to ask this of you. You can't love me," she sighed.

Damon sat up and looked her in the eye. "I don't have a choice in the matter, Elena. You can't just pick who you love. You think I wanted this? You think I woke up this morning and decided that I would walk up to some sick girl in the hospital cafeteria? No. But my heart chose you. I'm not going to be able to turn my back here, Elena."

Elena bit her lip. "I'm not going to let myself fall in love with you, Damon. I can't. It's too hard. I'll never be able to walk away from you if I do."

"So don't walk away from me," Damon said seriously. They stared into each other's eyes for a while.

Finally, Elena sighed and got up from the bench.

"If I want to finish my list today, we better get a move on. There are still so many things to do."

Damon's face fell with disappointment. She was never going to return his feelings. After today, she was going to walk away from him. Because she didn't want to see him end up getting hurt. She didn't want him to mourn her. Well, too late for that.

He stood up from the bench as well.

"Well, let's continue then," he said a bit crankily…

After a couple of hours they realised they needed to leave the park if they ever wanted to finish her last three items.

But Elena wanted to do one last thing. She walked over to a photo booth and beckoned Damon.

He frowned, not really sure what she wanted.

"Regardless of what I said earlier, I do want to remember you. I want to remember the fun we had today. I want to remember the man who helped me achieve my goals. I want to remember this little vacation," she explained.

So she wanted to take pictures with him? She wanted to remember him. Well, at least that made him feel a little better.

They stepped into the booth together, sitting down on the stools inside.

The booth was so small, they had to huddle together. A fact that affected them both. Damon could sense the electricity between them. But they ignored it.

Elena put some coins in the machine and waited for the flashes to come. At first, they made funny faces. They stuck their tongues out at each other. They just goofed around. But it ended with Damon putting his arm around her. They got closer and closer to each other.

Damon glanced sideways at her and caught her looking at him. It was a longing look, similar to his own. Her eyes fell to his lips, licking her own in the process. A move that Damon followed hungrily.

He could hear her breathing becoming heavier. Oh, she wanted him, no matter what she had said earlier!

Damon started stroking her cheek, causing her eyes to flutter. She took a deep breath, obviously still fighting this. Fighting herself. "Damon, stop," she whispered. But it came out really breathy.

He decided to take the risk. He leaned forward and captured her lips in a kiss.

A moan escaped her as soon as her lips came in contact with his.

Her arms locked around his neck on their own accord. She was giving in. But Damon didn't want to push his luck. He took his time, nipping her lips slowly.

And then he cautiously licked the seam of her lips with his tongue. She could still back out of this. He was giving her all the room for it. But instead she opened her mouth and let him in.

His tongue immediately found hers, stroking it hungrily.

Fuck, this felt good!

Elena mewled and practically crawled onto his lap. She clutched his shirt desperately, sucking his tongue into her mouth. Damon grabbed onto her behind, feeling the evidence of his desire for her rising.

When Elena felt it too, she backed away from him. Crawling in the far corner of the booth.

They were both breathing hard.

"That wasn't supposed to happen," Elena whispered.

Damon shrugged. "But it did," was all he said.

Elena ran a hand over her face, looking a bit flushed.

"We are so screwed here!"

**Okay, someone asked me why I wanted to let Elena do everything in one day. Well, this all comes from my personal experience. **

**I learned that my mother had cancer last year November. But we were never really sure it was fatal, until early last June. The doctor told us to hurry if there was still something we wanted to do together. So we dropped everything and went on our last short vacation together. She died four weeks after. So it can all happen really fast. You never know. That's why I am letting everything happen so fast. **

**And there is the fact that I want to end this story a certain way. So wait and see ;) **

**Thank you so much for your reviews to this story. It means the world to me. **

**XOXO **

**Sandy1983.**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

**Someone left me a beautiful review for this story and convinced me to continue this. I'm so glad she did. Today was a hard day for me, so I sat myself behind the computer and wrote this next chapter…**

An ocean of dreams

Damon stared at Elena, who was sitting next to him in the car and was staring out of the window. She barely said two words to him since the kiss. There was a tension between them now, that left Damon feeling very frustrated.

Why was she resisting him? Why couldn't they just enjoy each other and the time they had left? Why was she so afraid to let him in?

He sighed as he saw the park sign coming up. They were almost there. The third item on her list. Seeing the ocean. Another first for her, since she never left her home state.

The sun was going down now, Disney world taking up a lot of their time. He just hoped the sun would stay on the horizon long enough for them to fully enjoy the view of the ocean.

Damon parked the car and wordlessly stepped out of the car. As did Elena. They would have to walk a few more meters, and then they would see it. A fact that made Elena antsy. She seemed to fidget a little.

"Are you ready?" he asked her, breaking the silence.

She nodded and started walking. Still she didn't make a sound. Damon felt like strangling her. He did not appreciate the silent treatment.

He walked behind her, wanting her to be the first to see the blue water. This was for her, this was her experience. And this way, he could keep an eye on her.

She seemed so fragile, and not just because she was dying. There was an aura around her, that made him want to protect her. He wanted to keep her safe from the world. He wanted to keep her around him for all time. But with her, that wasn't possible.

She all of a sudden stopped dead in her tracks. Damon almost bumped into her. He frowned, wondering what was up. But as he stared ahead, he realised she could see it. It was right in front of them. She was looking at it as if it was the most beautiful thing in the world.

The Atlantic Ocean.

He came to stand next to her, watching her as tears rolled down her cheeks. She seemed in a trance. As if nothing existed except for her and that ocean.

Damon almost cried himself, seeing her so broken. He knew. He knew why she cried. This was the first, and at the same time the last time she would see it.

The rolling waves. The white sand.

The sun setting only made it worse. With the daylight fading, it made them realize how fast time was moving. Too fast. Damon wished he could freeze it. He wished he could spend years with her.

Elena quietly stepped forward. She took off her shoes and let her toes wriggle in the sand. A feeling that apparently brought a smile to her face.

Damon felt so honoured that she wanted to share these special moments with him. It humbled him.

Elena left her shoes where they were, and wandered down towards the water. She knelt down by it, dipping her hands in the water. Stroking it from left to right.

Damon watched from a distance. The fading sunlight made her so beautiful. She was like an angel. How could god take such a beautiful and pure angel from this earth? It was beyond his comprehension how the world worked sometimes. Why some people got to live, and others didn't. It brought back his own pain. He couldn't fight it anymore. Not with how intense today had been already.

He felt the tears coming to the surface. Why? Why did he have to go through this again? Why was Elena Gilbert put in his path, if she was just going to be taken away again? He had already lost so much.

He sank down in the sand and let go of his emotions.

He was so wrapped up in his own feelings, he didn't notice Elena had came back from the water and sat down next to him, until she put a hand on his shoulder. He quickly wiped the tears from his eyes, cleared his throat and put up a brave front.

It didn't work with her, of course. She saw right through him.

"Want to tell me about it?" she whispered.

Damon shook his head.

"This isn't about me, Elena. This day is about you. I'm sure you don't want to spend it talking about my feelings."

Elena gave him a strange look.

"You put yourself on the side lines for me today. You made it so wonderful, and it hasn't even ended yet. I owe you so much. The least I can do is listen to what you have to say. What you feel. What you think," she pressed.

Damon took a deep breath. He never talked about it. Save for his best friend Alaric, no one knew. He went through his life, never sticking around long enough so people couldn't ask questions. Maybe that's why he never settled down with a woman before. He never let anyone in. But with her it was different. SHE made everything different. He found himself opening his mouth and words came pouring out.

"I lost my mom 7 years ago. She had a heart condition that always put her in and out of the hospital. I took care of her. My father bailed out on us, before I even knew how to walk, so for years it was just me and her. We never needed anyone else. So when things took a turn for the worst, I was the only one left to help her. For years I studied for med school beside her bed. I thought she would live to see the day I graduated. She didn't.."

Damon swallowed back the tears that were threatening to spill. But it didn't help. Salty tracks were running down his cheeks.

"One day, when she was at the hospital, I managed to make it to the top of my class. I came rushing over to tell her. When I walked towards her room, a doctor was just walking out. He offered his condolences. I couldn't believe it. I refused to believe him. So I walked in. And there she was. She wasn't breathing. She wasn't moving. And she looked so pale. When I touched her.."

Damon choked. He couldn't talk anymore. Before he knew what was happening, a sob escaped his throat. He collapsed. And for the first time in seven years, he cried like a baby. He buried his head in his hands and allowed the heaving sobs to overtake him, letting it all out.

Elena didn't say a word. She just pulled him close, held him in her arms and cried with him.

They sat that way for a long while, until Damon had no more tears left.

He relaxed, enjoying the feeling of Elena's fingers running through his hair. Soothing him. He felt her place a kiss on top of his head, and smiled. She was letting him in.

He sat up and stared at her. Elena searched his face and smiled at him.

"Now I know," she said.

Damon frowned.

"Now you know what?"

"Why this is so important to you. Why you want to help me. I even bet that this is the whole reason you became a doctor. You want to fix people. You want to fix them, because you couldn't fix your mother," she explained.

Damon thought about this for a second. She was probably right.

He sighed and took a look around. The beach was empty now, the sun so low now that it basked them in a red glow.

He looked back at Elena, who was smiling at him and right then and there he realised that this was the most beautiful moment of his life. Being here, with this girl who could bring so much out of him, alone on a beautiful beach.

He watched the waves crashing. He felt the wind blowing through his hair. It was perfect. He leaned into Elena, and she placed her head on his shoulder.

Quietly, they stared at the glowing horizon.

Damon knew he would never forget this moment for as long as he lived.

After a few minutes, Elena got up with a mischievous glint in her eyes. She started walking backwards as she took off her shirt in front of him.

"You know, I never swam in the ocean," she teased.

Damon grinned at her.

"As tempting as this is, Elena. It is getting dark and we didn't bring any swimming gear."

Elena laughed out loud at this.

"Who said anything about swimming gear?" she said, as she continued to take off her jeans.

Damon's smirk disappeared and he gaped at her as she ran towards the ocean in nothing but her bra and underwear.

"Well, are you coming or what?" she yelled over her shoulder. And then she jumped into the crashing waves.

Damon stood frozen for a second. But then he snapped himself out of it and quickly discarded himself of his clothes. He left his boxers on and ran after Elena, who was just coming up for air.

"Damon, come on!" she yelled excitedly.

Damon didn't waste anymore time and dove into the water.

He decided to play a prank on Elena. It was still light enough to see under water, so he saw her gorgeous legs kicking away under the surface. He stayed under and swam up to her. He then grabbed onto her from behind, lifted her out of the water and threw her back in, a few feet further.

She came up with a screech.

"You asshole! You're going to pay!" she snapped.

She swam his way, put her hands on his shoulders and tried pushing him under. It didn't work. He was too strong for her. She climbed onto his back and tried pushing him again. And again no luck.

Damon enjoyed her being all over him, and let her do whatever she wanted. She was finally letting loose. She really was enjoying life right now. And he wasn't about to interrupt her.

"Did anyone ever tell you, you're really strong?" she asked as she ran her hands over his biceps from behind.

Damon gulped.

"No," he squeaked.

Elena let go of his back and swam towards his front.

She started running her hands up and down his chest.

"You have the most perfect chest," she whispered.

Damon was confused. Didn't she just push him away a few hours ago? Was she giving up fighting whatever was between them? Was she giving in?

He groaned as she wrapped her legs around him. His arms automatically shot out to support her behind, as her arms locked behind his head.

She leaned in and let her lips linger an inch in front of his. He could feel her breath on his face. It was intoxicating.

"Do you know that my heart is pounding right now?" she breathed against his lips.

Damon felt his breath coming out in short pants and felt his member start to throb. She could probably feel it too, since her backside was resting on it. If she moved…

"Well, I'm not going to say what you are doing to me, then," he joked.

Elena wriggled against him for a second, causing him to choke.

"I know," she said breathlessly.

And then she closed the remaining distance between them and locked their lips. Damon couldn't remember a kiss ever feeling this way. So full of passion. So full of need. So full of hope…

As Damon touched his tongue to hers, she grinded against him a bit. A full blown moan escaped them both, and Damon felt himself hardening to the point of pain. He tightened his hold on her ass and pushed her even closer. He really needed to be inside of her and soon!

Elena released him for a second and breathed harshly. She leaned her forehead against his.

"So I just completed the fourth item on my list," she revealed.

Damon frowned. Fourth item? He thought the ocean was the THIRD item on her list?

"What's your fourth item?" he asked.

Elena quickly pecked him on the lips.

"Kissing someone I'm hopelessly and completely in love with…."

**So Elena is giving in. Yay! Look out for the next chapter, where IT is probably going to happen between them. But first.. review this one!**

**Sandy1983.**

**Follow me for info about the story: /#!/Sandy1983b**


	5. Chapter 5

A night under the stars

Elena was thrilled that this man, this beautiful man, wanted her. HER! But at the same time it scared her. Was it fair to do this with him?

After this, there was no turning back. She would give him her most intimate embrace, and then what? Where would they go from here? Would this ensure that he would stay with her? Would he hold her hand as she lay dying? Would he commit himself to her? It wasn't really fair to ask this of him. That's what she had said from the beginning. They had no future.

But there was another voice in her head that wanted her to experience all he had to offer. He had given her the most amazing day. She had fun with him. She didn't want this to end just yet.

She groaned as he placed kisses on the side of her neck, and she arched it so he could reach more of it.

This really was one of the most beautiful moments of her life. Here she was on a beach, lying in the surf with a gorgeous man staring down at her. And there were a million stars above her head.

It had become dark now. The beach was completely deserted, save for them. It was like it was their own private little beach.

And Damon was doing the most sinful things to her. How could she walk away from this, without knowing what it would be like to be held by him? For once in her life, she wanted to feel loved. And he made her feel loved.

So for a moment here, she was going to be carefree. She was going to let him in.

She felt him slide his hand up her thigh, stroking it. Her heart thundered in her chest as his erection pressed intimately against her.

"You are so beautiful," he whispered.

Elena swallowed at hearing those words. She turned her head away, making Damon frown.

"What's wrong?" he asked her.

Elena stared straight ahead of her, not wanting to look at him.

"You don't have to lie, you know," she breathed.

Damon gently grabbed hold of her chin, making her look at him. His cerulean eyes having a warm expression in them.

"Why would I be lying? You ARE beautiful!" he stressed.

Elena shook her head.

"I've been poked and prodded. There is a scar on my breast from my lumpectomy. I'm probably pale and thin. So DON'T lie to me."

Damon just continued to look down at her. Genuine love could be read in his gaze. He stroked her hair back and smiled.

"Dear Elena. To me you are flawless. And a few scars here and there are not going to make me change my mind. You are incredibly beautiful," he told her.

Elena felt a few tears burning at his speech.

He leaned forward and captured her lips again. His tongue greeted hers, softly massaging it. Elena let out a low moan, wrapping her legs securely around his waist.

The lapping water was a welcoming refreshment on her heated skin. This could not be more perfect.

Damon chuckled against her lips for a second, causing Elena to frown.

"What's so funny?"

Damon raised himself on his elbows above her and grinned boyishly.

"We're not very secluded here. This is a public beach. Before you know it, we could get arrested for public nudity."

Elena looked around her. They WERE all alone. But he was right. Public place and all. She looked over her shoulder and saw some dunes. That would be perfect!

She bit her lip and looked coyly at Damon. "We would be secluded by those dunes over here," she said, cocking her head in the direction behind her.

Damon looked up to where she was pointing and smiled widely.

"Hmm, that would be perfect!"

Elena agreed with him, but stopped him as he wanted to get up and walk over there.

"Damon, you need to know something first. If we do this..I'm..I've never..Crap! I'm a virgin," she blurted out awkwardly.

It was a good thing it was dark. So he wouldn't have to see her blush.

She just hoped this didn't turn him off. She knew she was a late bloomer here, having already passed her teen years. She was 22 and still.. Well, she had her reasons.

Damon raised his hand and stroked her cheek reassuringly.

"Lena, it would be an honour to be your first."

Elena smiled gratefully at him. So he didn't care. But she just hoped she would be able to please him.

She followed him towards the dunes, where he lay down a blanket he had taken with him from the car.

Elena laid down on it, taking Damon with her. And then it was back to kissing.

He felt so good in her arms. She stroked his strong biceps, tugged on his jet black hair, anywhere she could reach. For tonight, this man would be hers.

Damon's hand crept down towards the v of her legs, where he began to stroke her through her still damp underwear. In the mean time, his lips closed over a nipple, sucking through the material of her bra.

Elena closed her eyes and buried her hands in his hair, ready for whatever he would bring her.

He nipped and licked her flat stomach, swirled his tongue into her belly button, before descending even lower. He hooked his fingers onto the elastic waistband of her underwear and began to pull downwards.

Elena raised her hips, helping him remove the material. And then she went back to blushing, as she lay naked before him. Especially, when he opened her legs and his face hovered above her. Was he going to…?

"This will help you get ready. And on top of that, it will feel really good. If I do it right," he winked.

Elena just nodded and raised herself onto her elbows to see what he was doing. She watched as he lowered his head and flicked his tongue against her clit.

A hiss escaped her involuntarily, and she tossed her head back.

He was right. That did feel good.

Another lap of his tongue made her rise her pelvis, trying to get closer to that amazing mouth of his.

"O god! Damon!" she moaned.

She buried her hands in his hair, as his tongue licked her from bottom to top, sometimes dipping into her entrance.

Her sex was throbbing now. She ground it against his face, gasping out loud. Her hands gripped the sides of the blanket, her back arched up.

"Damon, pleeaasseee!"she begged him. Although she wasn't really sure what she was begging for. She just needed him to do it. He slowly dipped a finger inside of her. Soon followed by another. He began to move them in a scissor-like motion, stretching her. Preparing her for what was to come.

She felt the tingles begin in her stomach, as he touched her clit again, tapping it gently with the tip of his tongue. It began like a sizzling fire, spreading throughout her limbs, until it finally exploded.

"Daaaaammmoonnnn!"she screeched.

Damon continued to thrust his fingers in and out of her, helping her ride out her orgasm. When she came down from her high, he slid his body upwards, staring into her eyes.

"If at any given moment you want to stop, you have to tell me," Damon said to her.

Elena nodded and bit her lip, a little nervous.

Damon leaned down, kissing her gently at first. He removed her bra and his underwear, wanting all the offending material out of the way. And then she felt him.

He positioned himself at her folds, waiting for her okay.

When she nodded, he slipped himself just a little bit inside of her, letting her get used to the feeling.

Elena breathed deeply, waiting for what everyone said would hurt a little.

"This might hurt at first. Just breathe through the pain. It will get a lot better after that," Damon told her.

Elena nodded, grasped his strong shoulders and rolled her hips, causing him to slip inside further. He broke through her maidenhead, and she flinched.

It was a sharp pain, causing Elena to gasp for breath.

"Just try to relax. Take deep breaths," Damon instructed her.

He was right. After a few moments, it began to get better. Damon slowly thrust back and forth a little. And then something shifted.

Each time he pushed forward, it sent a burst of pleasure through her. She wrapped her legs around him and started pushing back against him, wanting more.

"Damon, please. I'm ready," she whispered to him.

Damon stared deeply into her eyes and began to move. His hips surging forward with strong and sure thrusts.

Elena's eyes fluttered shut at the overwhelming feeling. But Damon wouldn't let her.

"Open your eyes, Elena. Keep them open."

Elena tried with her all her might, staring up into his eyes. Groaning each time he thrust into her. And that's when she saw why he asked her to open her eyes.

He stared intently at her, his eyes never leaving hers. There was a connection between them now, that was more than sex. He was searching for her soul.

His hand reached for hers, placing them above her head. He squeezed her fingers with the force of their love making.

"Is it always like this?" Elena asked in a shaky voice.

Damon shook his head.

"Only with you."

Tears fell from her eyes as she realised they were a part of each other now. That would never change. Not even death. He was telling her so with his eyes. He would love her for eternity.

This was so unfair! She had found him. She had found her soul mate when her life was already ending. But at least now she knew.. She knew what it was like..

Damon couldn't hold their connection anymore. With a groan he buried his head in her neck and began thrusting in all earnest.

Elena met him thrust for thrust, moaning as she stared up at the sky. Heaven was looking down on her, smiling at her.

_`I'm ready,´she thought. ´I'm ready, because now I know what the greatest thing on earth is. I was taught today.´_

Elena felt herself go over the edge, shouting out her release. Damon wasn't far behind her.

He fell down on top of her, completely spent.

Neither of them moved after that. Elena stroked her fingers through his damp hair, trying to get her breathing under control.

She knew what she had to do now.

"I love you," Damon breathed against the skin of her neck.

Tears burned in Elena's eyes at his words.

"I love you too," her voice hitched.

They lay there like that for a long time, listening to the waves crashing, the silence in the streets, but most of all, the beat of the others heart.

When Damon finally closed his beautiful, ocean blue eyes, Elena began to cry. Because she knew she would never see them again. She was leaving him behind.

Careful not to wake him, she disentangled herself from him and searched for her clothes. When she was finished getting dressed, she reached for the car keys in Damon's pocket.

She then rushed over towards the car, taking out a piece of paper and a pen. She began writing furiously.

When she was finished, she walked silently back over to where Damon lay sleeping.

Carefully, she placed the note with the car keys on the blanket next to him.

Tears continued to stream down her face as she watched him sleep. She tried memorizing every one of his features.

His strong back, his black hair, the stubble on his chin, his beautiful face….

"Goodbye Damon. Please remember me," she cried.

She bent over to kiss his forehead one last time. And then she walked away, thinking about her letter….

_My sweet Damon,_

_Please don't be mad at me when you wake up. This was something I had to do._

_You taught me so many things today. You taught me to enjoy life._

_You taught me to hold my head up high. But most importantly, _

_you taught me how to love. I couldn't let you stay with me._

_I want you to remember me like this, I want you to remember us._

_Just the way we were today. I want you to remember the fun._

_I couldn't let you stay, because then you would also have to remember_

_the times I got really sick. You would know what my last breath would look like._

_I can't let you endure that. So I'm walking away with this beautiful memory_

_in my heart. Of this one fine day. Where I met this wonderful man. _

_And it was perfect. Know that you'll always be with me, as I'll always be with you. _

_The last item on my list is now complete. _

_The greatest thing you'll ever learn, is to love and be loved in return. I had that with you. _

_And I will hold on to that. In this life. And the next…_

_I love you,_

_Elena. _

**Okay, so I'm positively bawling myself now. I know it's not exactly a happy ending. And I am sorry for that. I just can't write about Elena actually dying. I hope you understand. But know this: This story was the most important story I have ever written. It was personal, emotional and took a lot out of me. I really hope you enjoyed this journey with me. I love the people that left a review for this story. They helped me to continue this. So a big shout out to you all! Thank you all so much! And I hope to see you soon on another story of mine ;)**

**Note: ´The greatest thing you'll ever learn, is to love and be loved in return´ was a line I heard on the movie Moulin Rouge. And I love it. And completely agree with it. So I integrated it here. **

**Sandy1983.**


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